Who has read the most recent Pulitzer winner?

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Who has read the 2004 Pulitzer Prize winner for Fiction: The Known World by Edward P. Jones?

I was at Border's last night and I saw a stack of three paperback copies of this book on the corner of the "new paperback" table. Over in the display bookcases, there were dozens and dozens of copies of The Secret Life of Bees, The Life of Pi and books that have been out for a long time.

I asked my sister, who was with me, why this hell this year's Pulitzer winner was pushed into some non-descript corner of a table while there are millions of copies of these other books? I probably shouldn't have loudly said, "I'll tell you why... It's because the author's black! That's why!" I probably shouldn't go book shopping after a few drinks, anyway, but I stand my by opinion.

At Amazon, the paperback's sales rank is 185 and the hardcover's sitting at 251. I mean, "The Happiest Baby on the Block : The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer" is selling better than this book. What's the deal?

I admit, I haven't read it yet but that's because I didn't know it had come out in paperback. Who's with me? Let's all read this book in July and discuss it in August!

― Vermont Girl (Vermont Girl), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 13:20 (twenty-one years ago)

"At Amazon, the paperback's sales rank is 185 and the hardcover's sitting at 251. I mean, "The Happiest Baby on the Block : The New Way to
Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer" is selling better than this book. What's the deal?"

And really, all you have to do is read some past Pulitzer winners to your baby and they will be out like a light.

― scott seward (scott seward), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 13:27 (twenty-one years ago)

I've never had issues with any of the Pulitzer winners I've read. They've been thoughful, satisfying reads. Okay, I've haven't gone back further than 2000 (except for A Confederacy of Dunces), but I'm going to. C'mon, Empire Falls and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay? Those are great books.

― Vermont Girl (Vermont Girl), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 13:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Jones = less of a "name" than Chabon or Eugenides (.. i think) thus not so publicised. I don't remember anything about Russo. The Hours is a lot more famous for the movie than the Pulitzer. i dunno.

possibly he's less of a name becuz becuz, but.. eh.

― tom west (thomp), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 15:02 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.pulitzer.org/cgi-bin/catquery.cgi?type=w&category=Fiction&FormsButton5=Retrieve

for a while there reading from latest to oldest i thought maybe ALL updike's rabbits were gonna win, but eh.

― tom west (thomp), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 15:03 (twenty-one years ago)

i need other fake-unconcerned noises.

― tom west (thomp), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 15:03 (twenty-one years ago)

You could try 'meh'. It's much the same, but it gets the job done.

Vermont Girl, I'd be up for reading this book in July and discussing in August. Who's with us?

― accentmonkey (accentmonkey), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 15:55 (twenty-one years ago)

I like Russo, but Empire Falls was just a novelization of a future screenplay. Or that's what it read like anyway. And more power to him! He is a rich man! And the screenplay has now been written and I can't remember when the movie is coming out, but soon, I think. So, wait for the movie or read Nobody's Fool or The Risk Pool or Mohawk or his short story collection (which is very entertaining) or see the movie of Nobody's Fool (cuz it is fine as well).

― scott seward (scott seward), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 18:35 (twenty-one years ago)

At my store, Jones' book has taken off. It sold well even in hardcover. Winning a Pulitzer usually doubles a book's sales. 'Middlesex; which won last year barely sold in hardcover, even though Eugenides is a popular writer. Once he won though, he started selling like hotcakes. Of course, my experience is strictly at my store, not at a chain or anything. I thohght 'the Known World' sounded interesting, but have not read it. Mr. Jones sounds like quite the genius though. And I thought his previous story collection had got him some notice as well.

― megan (bookdwarf), Thursday, 10 June 2004 14:48 (twenty-one years ago)

even though Eugenides is a popular writer.

was he? I don't know; the Virgin Suicides wasn't really a massive best seller, was it (even after the film)?

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 10 June 2004 22:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Again, my experience is only my store. But I can name at least a dozen people who claim 'The Virgin Suicides' as one of their favorite books. Its a huge seller here. I am not sure how big it is elsewhere.

― megan (bookdwarf), Friday, 11 June 2004 15:58 (twenty-one years ago)

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